This project came to Prof Heat Services from a homeowner in Wybunbury, near Nantwich, looking to make better use of unused space next to their kitchen, converting it into a striking downstairs WC. The brief called for a period-style Thomas Crapper suite, built from scratch with new stud walls, feature alcoves and a full plumbing installation. Here is how the finished room came together.

From Kitchen Space to Stud Walls

The space had previously formed part of the kitchen and had no defined use of its own. Before any of the finished fittings could go in, new stud walls were built to properly separate the WC from the rest of the room, along with two recessed niches designed into the wall itself to house lighting, mirrors and display shelving later in the project.

Wall marked out and prepared for a new downstairs WC installation before fitting began

With the studwork in place and the wall boarded, positions for the toilet, cistern and sink were carefully marked out to make sure everything would line up correctly once the finished fittings went on.

Installing the Thomas Crapper Suite

The homeowner had chosen a genuine Thomas Crapper suite to give the room a period character, centred around the brand’s iconic high level 814 cistern, marked “Crapper’s Valveless Waste Preventer” and finished in black to match the black toilet seat below it. The high level design means the cistern is mounted well above the pan and connected by a flush pipe, a look that needs to be installed accurately to both work properly and sit correctly on the wall.

Thomas Crapper high level toilet with black 814 cistern installed against feature wallpaper

Every connection was tested before the room was finished off, making sure the flush pipe, waste and water supply were all working properly and free of leaks ahead of the final fit out.

Feature Alcoves and Finishing Touches

The two recessed niches built into the stud wall were finished in a dark contrast colour and fitted with their own lighting, giving the homeowner a place to display candles, diffusers and small decorative pieces without taking up any floor space. A matching Thomas Crapper wall-mounted sink was fitted beneath a mirrored display alcove, and the whole room was finished with Thomas Crapper wallpaper, a toilet brush and a toilet roll holder to match the rest of the suite.

Downstairs WC with dark feature alcoves, Thomas Crapper wallpaper and matching toilet suite

Thomas Crapper wall mounted sink beneath a mirrored display alcove

Keeping the Room Warm

To finish the room off, a cast iron style column radiator was plumbed into the property’s existing central heating system, chosen in black to match the cistern and toilet seat rather than a standard white radiator that would have stood out against the rest of the room.

Black column radiator plumbed into a downstairs WC alongside a Thomas Crapper sink

Watch the Full Installation

Considering a Downstairs WC or Bathroom Upgrade?

If you have unused space in your home and are considering turning it into a downstairs WC or upgrading an existing bathroom, Prof Heat Services can advise on the best layout for the space and carry out the full installation from first fix through to the finished fittings.

Get in touch for a free no-obligation quote. All work is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer covering Wybunbury, Nantwich, Crewe and the surrounding Cheshire area.